The Rangers reverted to mid-season form in a passionless loss to Carolina last night dropping them into ninth place. The 3-0 loss was reminiscent of the February dog days. There was nothing last night. There was no there, there. They got all of eight shots in the third period and it was doubtful any were hard enough to break a pane of window glass. They looked tired, they looked spent. The best Ranger was the NHL's favorite whipping boy, Sean Avery. He had the best chance for a score in the second period, but couldn't lift the puck. He was called for another dubious interference penalty, his third in two games.
Maybe Tortorella is driving this team too hard? Of course, that is a joke. This Ranger team may not be shape to play Johnny T. Hockey. That is no joke. After all we have gone from the laid back at the blue line, one forechecking player and defense at all costs, and made a 180° turn, where the D-Men now join the rush, go deep and the forwards check all over the place. So it's more tiring and a player like Avery, who has been sitting out most of the year seems to have the most life. Anyhow, this is no time for the weary. They go to Nashville, Thursday, and they are fighting for a playoff spot and then it's away and home against the Flyers and then up to Montreal on Tuesday. So, no rest for the weary.
The good news. They are only four points out of fourth place. They have two days off before facing Nashville on Thursday and this weekend's games against the Flyers should be doozies. Also, the goaltending remains the strength of the team. Valiquette was very good last night, 33 saves, and Lundqvist had an extra day off and should be well rested for Nashville. Rather than look further ahead, the team must take it one day at a time, one game at a time, two points at a time. Time will tell. No more stinkers, please.
ICINGS:
It's great to see the Hockey Rodent unleash a 'clueless' carpet bombing on the Stealth GM, Glen Sather, and the Absentee Owner, James Dolan. That's been the best adjective to use for the leadership at MSG. Polite, but to the point. We all live on, not a Yellow Submarine, but on the USS Clueless. And we're all just waiting for this sad ship to sink.
Hockey Rodent:
'Til Death Do Us Part --
Glen's impulsive decisions are responsible for more harm than good. Has he made some sound decisions/acquisitions since arriving in the summer of 2000?Update:
Fersure.
Has he also negated, nullified and otherwise voided those bennies with bountiful blunders?
Ayuppp. If Bryan Trottier didn't confirm your worst fears way back when, there are a couple dozen more names (cough) Hugh Jessiman (cough) I could throw out to buttress and bolster my premise.
And even when Glen does the right thing... he often does it at the very worst moment. And so many of these mistakes are ones we will be living with long after he's history.
There's only one thing worse than a fool. It's a fool who fails to realize he is a fool.
No. I take that back. There is one thing worse. And that's a fool who has no clue that he's clueless who has a boss named James Dolan who also is clueless about the subordinate being clueless such that we are saddled with all this cluelessness for...
... I don't know how long for... because I'm clueless to know how this story ends or when it ends.
If it's a case of 'til death do us part, then I want a divorce...
Is there any irony that the Grateful Dead reunion will be hitting MSG on April 25th? So will the Rangers be gone by then, finished after a "Nine mile skid on a ten mile ride"? via Todd Harrison
He's Gone:
Rat in a drain ditch, caught on a limb, you know better but I know him.
Like I told you, what I said, Steal your face right off your head.
Now he's gone, now he's gone, Lord he's gone, he's gone.
Like a steam locomotive, rollin' down the track
He's gone, gone, nothin's gonna bring him back...He's gone.
Nine mile skid on a ten mile ride, hot as a pistol but cool inside.
Cat on a tin roof, dogs in a pile,
Nothin' left to do but smile, smile, smile!!!!...
It will be nice to see a return to form in Nashville. They played hard last night til the third, I thought. They did forget to get bodies to the net, strange thing to forget.
Oh well, I'm working on inventing a pair of turbo boost gizmoes to strap to Rozsival's skates, his ass, anywhere that works.
Back to the lab....
This team hasn't done Valley any favors recently. Poor guy has been on the losing end of a couple of 3rd period collapses. He needs to buy a couple of cases of Red Bull and put them out between periods.
Since my invite to post articles has expired, I figure I will post here what I would have posted on the site.
The Case Against Renney
Many news writers and commentators have been quick to defend Renney in seeking to explain why the Rangers are a better team under Torts. They point to the (re)acquisitions of Avery, Antropov and Morris to explain why the Rangers are a different team. They are wrong. Renney’s failure was his inability to recognize and properly use young talent. Allow me to make the case.
1. Torts quickly understood that Callahan has burning energy and desire as well as talent. He has been rewarded with power play time and first line duty. He has responded with production.
2. Torts quickly understood that his youngest defenders were his best defenders. Now Stahl and Girardi get 37 shifts and 24 minutes of ice – and they perform. They even kill penalties.
3. Renney did not even play Lundqvist over Weeks until his performance and fan unrest forced his hand.
4. Wayne Gretzky realized that Prucha is the real gem, not Dawes. Last night Coach Gretzky had Prucha on the ice for 18:50, more than any other Right Wing – in fact more than any other wing or center iceman. Dawes was a healthy scratch.
5. Wayne Gretzky realized that Kalinin had significant offensive talent, and last night Kalinin had an assist and a power play goal. In seven games he has a goal and two assists. In his two full healthy years at Buffalo he scored over 20 goals each time.
Just imagine if Renney had used Prucha, Kalinin, Stahl and Girardi correctly. Do you really think we would be fighting for our playoff lives right now?